Wednesday 12 April 2017
This morning we all gathered outside and had a group photo, as Walker and now Tim (another of the Americans) were leaving us. In total there are around 45 in our group, not including the Sherpas and Porters – or the yaks! Quite a crowd, but it’s nice, it feels like one big family.
The walk to Lobuche was relatively short however with my cold, and now a sore throat, I trudged along in my own world following the line of others like a yak. Amanda wasn’t feeling well either, she had developed a cough and as the day progressed it got worse and her chest hurt. We were all suffering one way or another!
Despite not feeling 100% I quite enjoyed the trek today. We continued along the valley, up about two thirds of our final hill and over the river to the lunch stop. The terrain is mostly rocky with small bushes dotted around, and while there is no snow on our path you can see it either side on the mountains close by. You can see the vastness of the landscape in the header photo, the tiny people on the right hand side engulfed by the rocky peaks surrounding them.
After lunch we climbed to the top of the hill and entered a memorial for fallen climbers- people who have lost their lives on Everest; each person has a mound of stones and an inscription. It was quite an emotional place as it is very bleak and windy and it’s as if you are at the end of the world. We sat for a bit, recovering ourselves after the climb and then continued on, the path winding its way ever upwards … we were in a small group, Gite, Amanda, Richard and one or two others It feels as if we are in a Tolkien book, our mission to reach the gates of Mordor (Lobuche) and Orcs are going to ambush us as we round the next bend. I wanted to head the blog with a picture of this however I didn’t take any on my phone so it will have to wait until I’m home and I can download my photos from my camera.
It was good to reach the lodge, and as the group is so big our trek – the A team – are staying on our own. It was quite nice to be only 15 of us for once, everyone in my group is lovely and we all enjoy each others company.
One more day and we will reach Gorak Shep!
Elizabeth Mooney 